Page 84 of White Hot Kiss (The Dark Elements 1)

I’m not sure how long I stood there, but finally I forced myself to move. Zayne had to be getting itchy out there.

Stepping out of the apartment building, I inhaled the brisk air. Zayne waited where I’d left him, like he had said he would. Sensing me, he lifted his golden head. He didn’t smile. Whether or not he gave voice to what he suspected my feelings for Roth were and whether or not he agreed with them, he still knew how I felt.

On the spur of the moment, I felt for my ring. It came off easily, the cracked surface catching the light. Without Lilith’s blood, the ring looked more like a normal stone. There really wasn’t any need for me to keep it, but I couldn’t get rid of it. Not yet.

When I handed the chain and ring to Zayne, he seemed to know what to do with them. The spot where Bambi had tattooed herself on my arm itched like crazy. I resisted the urge to scratch myself raw while Zayne slipped the chain through the ring.

“Did...did you take care of what you needed to?” he asked, brushing at a strand of blond hair that had escaped his ponytail.

I cleared my throat, but the lump was still there. “I think so.”

Zayne wiggled his fingers and I turned around, forcing myself to take another deep breath. While he clasped the chain behind my neck, my gaze traveled up to Roth’s loft. The windows were too dark to see in. Not that anyone would be there, but I’d never be able to tell.

“You ready?” Zayne asked.

The pain in my chest eased a tiny bit when I looked into Zayne’s blue eyes. I tried to smile for him, and I think the little effort relieved him. He knew I wasn’t going to curl up and wither away because I’d lost Roth. However, there were moments when that was the only thing I wanted to do.

I dropped the necklace under my sweater, patting where it rested between my br**sts.

He offered me his hand.

And I took it, threading my fingers through his. We started down the street quietly. My heart raced with each step that took me farther away from everything that reminded me of Roth. I couldn’t stop even though I wanted to turn around and race back to his apartment, camp out until...until forever passed. Every so often, I looked over my shoulder, searching for a headful of dark hair and a smile that infuriated and excited me. I strained to hear the humming of “Paradise City.” Out of all the faces crowding the street, I didn’t see the one I was looking for.

But I thought of the necklace and of Cayman’s wink and I wondered if one day I would find it again.